Insert Date
[Insert Name]
[Insert Address]
[Insert City], [Insert State] [Insert Zip]
[Insert Student ID Number]
Dear [Insert Name]:
As [Insert Title], I am pleased to present to you this formal offer of employment with the University of South Florida St. Petersburg for the [Insert Department Name], department number [Insert Department Number] . The employment consists of a Graduate Assistantship, Class Code and Title: 9182, Graduate Research Assistant ([Insert Masters or Doctoral] level). It is expected that your appointment will begin [Insert Start Date] and will be effective through [Insert End Date]. Your appointment is for [Insert #] FTE ([Insert #] hours per week) and provides a salary of not less than $[Insert Annual Stipend] or $[Insert Bi-weekly Salary] bi-weekly amount. As a Graduate Research Associate, you will be required to be an active graduate degree seeking student, maintain good academic standing (min 3.0 GPA or min GPA required by your program) and maintain full time enrollment during each semester in which you are appointed. Full-time enrollment is a minimum of 9 graduate course hours in the fall semester, 9 graduate course hours in the spring semester, and 6 graduate course hours in the summer semester, or more depending on the requirements of your program. You will be expected to perform satisfactorily the assigned duties of the position, which shall be given to you by your immediate supervisor, [Insert Supervisor Name and Empl ID]. Your supervisor may or may not be the same person as your academic advisor or committee chair. No department or university representative may make a binding agreement to reappoint you for longer than the term of this contract. Research grants, advisor’s promises, and departmental agreements are not binding. Please note that you may be required to work during Spring Break, Holidays, etc. Check with your supervisor regarding required work schedules for your department. You are entitled to access your official evaluation file, which will be located in the Human Resources Office, BAY 206.
If you will be working at least 10 hours per week (.25 FTE ) in the 9182 job code you may be eligible to receive a GA Health Insurance Subsidy to help pay part of the premium for USF Student Health Insurance. Visit the Graduate School website at www.grad.usf.edu, click on “Graduate Assistantships” and then on “Health Insurance” for information on how to sign up before the deadline. You will also be sent pertinent information about heath insurance via email.
If you are appointed for at least .25 FTE, you are eligible, but not guaranteed, a tuition payment. Check Oasis as you are responsible for student fees. To be eligible for a tuition payment, you must work the minimum number of required hours during each semester in which you receive a tuition payment: Fall=150 hours, spring=150 hours, and summer=100 hours. You will be notified in a timely manner whether you will receive tuition payment under the University tuition payment program. The balance of the charges will be your responsibility. Tuition payments will be revoked for failure to: work the minimum number of required hours per semester, maintain .25 FTE, uphold good academic standing, and/or dropping below 9 credit hours of graduate course enrollment (for summer: dropping below 6 credit hours of graduate course enrollment.) Tuition payment is considered a resource in the awarding of need based financial aid. Any changes made in employment and enrollment must be reported to your program and hiring department.
Special Conditions of Employment:
§ For Graduate Assistants conducting research, the University and employees recognize the terms of the Florida Administrative Code and Rule 6C4-10.012 regarding Inventions and Works.
§ If the appointee is a non-resident alien from a country in which English is not the primary language, appointment to the 9182 job code does not require a SPEAK test or iBT score. However, the duties of the 9182 job code prohibit direct contact with students in a classroom or laboratory setting. The duties of the 9182 job code must be research based.
§ The duration of this appointment is contingent upon the scheduled course section/s in which this appointment is assisting. This appointment can be terminated early if related scheduled course sections are cancelled.
This appointment is contingent upon you providing the required documentation of employability. Please report to the Human Resources Office on [Insert Date] at [Insert Time], located in the Bayboro Building, room 206, to complete the necessary paperwork to put you on the payroll. If you need to make parking arrangements, you may purchase a permit online at http://www.usfsp.edu/financial/parking-transportation/parking-permits/ or visit the Cashier’s Office located in the Bayboro Building.In order to facilitate the hiring process, please be prepared to:
Ø Provide documentation that establishes your employment eligibility to work in the U.S. (in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986). A list of acceptable documents for the I-9 form is attached.
Ø Provide your passport, I-94, visa and appropriate immigration support documents based on visa class, if you are a foreign national.
Ø Enroll in USF’s Direct Deposit program that is a condition of employment at the University. If you do not currently have a bank account established, HR can provide you with information on available options.
If you have any questions about the terms outlined above, contact me at [Insert Phone Number].
We sincerely hope that you will accept this offer and look forward to having you as a part of this Department. If any changes are deemed necessary, we will notify you in writing.
Sincerely,
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
My signature below indicates my acceptance of the offer as outlined above. I acknowledge I have received the invitation to self-identify Veteran status and/or a Disability included on the attached Post-Offer Steps.
Please return a signed copy via US Mail or fax (727-873-[XXXX]) no later than [INSERT DATE NO LATER THAN 10 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE LETTER].
Signature Date
This appointment is subject to the Constitution and the laws of the State of Florida and the United States, the rules of the Florida Board of Education and the University of South Florida, and the provisions of the Florida Board of Education/Graduate Assistants United Collective Bargaining Agreement.
All graduate assistants at the University of South Florida work under a contract negotiated by Graduate Assistants United (GAU) and the University Of South Florida Board Of Trustees. GAU is the labor Union certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for the Graduate Assistants at the University of South Florida.
(Your signature hereon shall not be deemed a waiver of the right to process a grievance with respect hereto in compliance with Article 11, Grievance Procedure.)
cc: Human Resources
Mailpoint: [Insert Building and room #]
Location: [Insert Bldg. and Room # of physical location of office]
Phone: [Insert Work Phone number]
Pay Distribution: [Insert GEMS account Code and %]
Principal Place of Employment [Insert Location]
Pay Envelope # [Insert Number, if applicable]
Release of Campus Email Authorization
Pursuant to article 2.1 (O) of the Graduate Assistants United (GAU) 2008-2011 Collective Bargaining signature below indicates consent by the student the release of his or her campus email address to GAU upon request,” please indicate below if you do or do not authorize the release of your campus email address to the GAU.
If you are authorizing the release of your campus email address to the GAU, please check YES below, then print your name and campus email address in the spaces provided, as well as sign and date the form.
If you are not authorizing the release of your campus email address, please check NO below, then print your name in the space provided, as well as sign and date the form. Do not print your email address for this option.
YES - I authorize the University to give my campus email address to the GAU
NO - I do not authorize the University to give my campus email address to the GAU
Rev 04/2017 9182_ResearchAssistant